January 8, 2026
Color Wars: Gray Team Strikes Back
I program without syntax highlighting
Coders ditch rainbow text: bold, brilliant, or just plain weird
TLDR: A programmer says coding without colorful text makes code cleaner and less distracting, sparking a split: minimalists cheer, while big-project folks say color helps them survive. The debate matters because it shows how tools shape focus, style, and sanity—especially when codebases get massive.
A developer proudly declared they code with zero color—no “rainbow text,” no syntax highlighting—and the internet split into camps faster than you can say “dark mode.” The author’s case: colorless editing in Acme keeps code “beautiful,” reduces tinkering, and works across any language (even niche ones) while simple checks catch mistakes. The comments lit up. One relieved reader cheered, “I’m not alone,” while another name-dropped legend Rob Pike—yes, apparently he codes without color too (link).
Then came the showdown. Minimalists called most color schemes “too loud,” pushing for gentle hints—bold names, bracket matching, indent guides. Pragmatists fired back: grayscale vibes are fine for tiny side projects, but in giant work codebases? Give us the highlighter before we drown. One philosopher chimed in that your tools shape your code style—go colorless, and your whole project might look different. Meanwhile, meme-makers dubbed it the “Grayscale Gang” vs. the “Neon Knights,” with snark about “hipster monk mode” and “Fifty Shades of Grey code.”
Strongest takeaways: distraction haters felt seen, big-code veterans demanded their colors, and everyone agreed the real sin is over-the-top palettes. Verdict? This isn’t just about colors—it’s a lifestyle choice with unexpected drama and surprisingly deep vibes.
Key Points
- •The author has programmed for over a year without syntax highlighting using the Acme editor.
- •They use Acme’s delimiter-matching (double-clicking markers) and a tight write–compile–test loop to catch syntax errors.
- •Working without highlighting increases attention to code organization, discouraging long lines and commented-out code versions.
- •Alternate code versions are kept in scratch files or buffers rather than comments to maintain readability.
- •Avoiding syntax highlighting reduces configuration overhead and supports a language-agnostic workflow, helpful for languages like Agda with limited editor support.